LS 819: From Aphra Behn to Ali Wong: Women and Comedy, 1660-2018

Fall 2018 | Dr. Diana Solomon

Course Description

At the turn of the twentieth century, American essayist Minna Antrim wrote: “Man forgives woman anything, save the wit to outwit him.” This quotation speaks to the risks women ran—and still run—when they venture into the world of comedy. If conditions today are still far from ideal, then how did British women in the Restoration and eighteenth century fare? We will begin by reading a few classic female writers of comedy, such as Aphra Behn and Jane Austen, and then consider more contemporary examples, through the lens of comedy theory. Along the way, we will consider such subjects as rape jokes, political comedy, humor and obscenity, self-deprecating humor, feminist and antifeminist comedy, and other subjects according to student interest.